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"Pharm Parties" parents beware!

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Posted 12/23/2008 5:10 AM (GMT 0)
Has anyone heard of these things? On the local news tonight there was a report of a 19 year old girl who went to one of these parties. For those of you who don't know what a "pharm party" is get ready to be rocked. It is apparently becomming the rage with the teens. They raid their parents medicine cabinet, go to a party, put all these pills together & just start taking random pills. Not even knowing what the heck they are taking!!! The boy who originally had the script along with the boy who was the "dealer" are both facing manslaughter. (the owner of the pills was prescribed oxycontin 10mg, the girl od'ed from a mixture of meds.... another bad rap for oxycontin) Florida is cracking down on these kids, and rightfully so. Anyone caught dealing, hosting, connecting these parties are up for stiff penalties. Just thought I would mention this incase some people on here who have teens.... No one would ever want to think their child is capable.... just please be cautious... lock up your meds if you feel it in your gut it could happen. I would never want to hear of anything so terrible to anyone on here. The other thing is its going to raise a lot of stricter issues with pain meds.... this is the 2nd day in a row I have heard about these "pharm parties". Any thoughts?
Posted 12/23/2008 5:59 AM (GMT 0)
The first time I heard of this was a year or two ago on a Law & Order: SVU episode. It is just disgusting!! And sad. Not to mention STUPID. It's bad enough when people take specific drugs to get high, but when you have no idea what you are taking, how much you are taking, and the potential fatal interactions with the other unknown drugs you are taking... There are reasons why medications are prescribed & monitored closely! These parties are just asking for serious trouble. What these people are thinking & why anyone would ever do that to themselves, I don't know...

Good job to Florida for cracking down. Thanks for letting everyone know kttn. Just another reason why we have to be extra careful to make sure our meds don't fall into the wrong hands, as well as another reason why there is such a stigma surrounding pain meds.

Post Edited (skeye) : 12/22/2008 11:05:48 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/23/2008 6:33 AM (GMT 0)
I just want to say how sad are world is that all of us have to hide are pain med`s (that we need just to get by)not only from the druggy down the street but are own kids,neices,grandkids,great grandkids,sisters ext.ext.I don`t think my kids would take them but you can never really know,and I have a daughter in law(soon to be ex.)that would.And since it would make my life so very bad to try to do with out them I cant take the chance so I hide them.One of these days I will have the money to get a lock box but even with one I think you would be better off hiding it.
Posted 12/23/2008 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
I'd like to put my two cents in here. Yes there is a growing problem with this. Teens are stealing their parents & grandparents pills and having parties but, I must say that this is why us that are in pain must take special precautions to ensure that our medications are safe from such actions. I've always taken the attitude of "trust no one and always be on guard for problems." Let my guard down only once and I lost 29 pills to someone I truly thought I could trust. That will never happen ever again. I now keep my main meds locked up in my gun safe and then my 7 day box is locked in a locked box in a hiding spot. Its easier to be wary then to lose them and have to explain why I was unguarded. Also the doors are always locked (even when I am home by myself in the daytime when hubby is at work) and with 3 dogs they are good at alerting me at anyone around the house.

The phone is close to my bedside and when I go anywhere in the house it accompanies me. I've taken all the precautions I can but too as hubby says "it'll only keep the honest people out." If someone really wants in they can and will break into the house. What can I do? Not too much, I've done all I can do to ensure that my medications are safe. They are locked up, no one knows I take anything and I am very careful about when I take them in public. So guys all I can tell you is to take the precautions that you would if you had a million bucks in your house and hope that its safe.

Scarred
Posted 12/23/2008 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Scarred. Thats so good you are so well prepared. My husband is always forgetting to lock the door, the screen porch something & it drives me insane. I keep telling him we don't live in the country anymore!! I have had a home broken into & its not a good feeling to be stolen from. Its just myself, my husband & the dogs.... I have no worries about him- aleve puts him to sleep (lucky thing), but I was stunned watching this on tv. They are also called "trail mix", I saw the SVU episode as well.... but when it started hitting home I thought I might mention it on here.... just incase. I don't have any children, but when visitors come I hide everything as well.... sometimes a little too well.... LOL! I just think we need all the information we can get, I know this is a little negative.... but I just wanted to inform everyone about this. It scared me to death when I saw what they were doing. There was a huge bowl just full of all kinds of pills, all colors, sizes.... I can't believe someone would do something so insane as to grab a handful of these drugs & just take them. It wasn't like they were doing one at a time.... just handfuls. Scary stuff.
Posted 12/23/2008 8:24 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, kttn, it is scary. But very true. It's actually been going on for awhile. I can remember in "my day" (decades ago) it involved making a "punch" in a big garbage can of various type of alcohol and fruit juices. Legal, but still can't believe any of us drank that stuff!! What's going on now is not only illegal, but much more dangerous. Add to that it's usually combined with alcohol.

I live alone and until I came to this board I never thought much about the pills I have at home, since no one else is here. But now I hide everything when a worker comes in or if I have visitors (rare). Not many people know what I take, but I think if anyone ever asks I'm going to lie and say I'm allergic to all that heavy duty stuff; all I can take is tylenol and alleve.

PaLady
Posted 12/23/2008 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
LOL hunch punch! We did that in high school/college too, a bunch of everclear soaked in a watermelon. I can't even believe I used to drink that stuff. Now I order virgin pina colodas! LOL.
Posted 12/23/2008 9:18 PM (GMT 0)

nono  I am so lucky..my son is 15 almost 16 and he knows what pills will do to a person...He has seen me suffer for years because of pain and Dr.'s that didn't understand.  I still make sure that my meds are with me at all times, only because of an incident with a "friend" that stole my new scripts out of my purse. 

 

Those Pharm Parties are scary business...why would a kid risk their life by taking pills that they know nothing about?  When I was young smoking pot was the big thing...and drinking beer.  I don't know how kids grow up these days....

 

Me.

Posted 12/24/2008 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Me,
It's sad but it's not a rational choice by these young people. Plus, peer pressure can significantly alter behavior, so that someone who alone would never do such a thing can be pressured into it simply to feel accepted. They have no clue how dangerous this is, but any kids who are thinking rationally walk out the door when they see that, if they go at all.

PaLady
Posted 12/24/2008 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
I can say, as a college student, that crazy stuff like this does happen all the time. I've never heard of anyone at my school having these pharm parties, although I wouldn't be surprised. The mixing of alcohol still happens all the time, although now it is often mixed with date rape drugs as well, so it is not wise to drink the punch (or "jungle juice" as it is called now-a-days).

I think I'm one of the rare few college students that does not drink. I can't stand alcohol & the thought of what it does to your body (when not drunken in moderation of course). Only one sip makes me feel dizzy & makes my chest hurt, no joke. I wonder if I'm actually allergic to the stuff. My father, who is a doc, says I might have a rare condition in which my body lacks an enzyme which breaks down the alcohol. Even if I did drink, it would be STUPID to drink with the meds that I am on. Pain meds + alcohol is a very bad combo as I'm sure you are all aware.

I can say though, that there is a lot of peer pressure to drink. My friends tend to either not drink, or drink rarely, but fortunately when they do drink, they are pretty good about not pressuring me, since they know that I don't drink. But the few times that I have gone to parties, just to hang out with my friends, I was pressured soooo much by other people. People literally tried to force me (even though I was holding a glass of beer in my hand & fake sipping it to try to cut down on the attention). It was awful. I've since stopped going to parties because I don't want to be in that situation. I can see how some kids will drink just because they cannot stand the pressure. You are right PAlady, that it is often not a rational choice. Kids just don't know when to stop & don't realize that they can end up dead from alcohol toxicity or some stupid thing that they did when they were drunk or high. Just this year, a kid at my school almost died because he was drunk & he decided it would be a good idea to go "swimming" in this makeshift pool (basically a 2 foot deep hole in the ground). He dove into the pool head first & is now a quad.

This is why I'm so afraid to have my meds up at school. Since I'll be living with roomates next semester, I got a lockbox, but what if that isn't enough? What if I can't hide it well enough? I'm not too worried about the girls I am living with, since I know them all well & have lived with them all before, but what about the other people who come into my room? There are way to many college student who just want to get high or drunk & will do just about anything to accomplish that goal. It is so sad that we live in a world where we have to worry about these things...

Skeye
Posted 12/24/2008 2:41 AM (GMT 0)
It's sad to think that the kids now a days have found new ways to get into trouble. I know that raising my youngest son was no picnic. In fact, he actually took some of my medications once and was so lucky I didn't call the cops. I did however threaten to do so if he did not bring them back within the allotted tine that I gave him and was quite surprised when he showed up at the house with all but 4 of the missing pills. Of course all of his things were out on the porch and he was told in no uncertain terms that he was no longer welcome in our home until he grew up and actually realized that what he did hurt not only himself but us as well. In May when he came home for a visit he sat down with me and hubby and apologized for taking the meds. He told us how stupid it was to do that and how he felt like he had really disappointed us with that stunt.

My son is coming home to stay with us next month for awhile until he can get his finances together. He is bringing his gf with him and I am taking no chances. Before he gets here the medications will be totally locked and a plan will be instated so that I am safe in retrieving my medications without him peeking over my shoulder looking for a way to get into them. Even though he has apologized and all that, I still do not trust him. It will take some time before I can really trust him again and I know that. It's sad when you can't even trust your own children with your medication these days.

Scarred
Posted 12/24/2008 3:48 AM (GMT 0)
Skeye,
I know you mentioned your concern before, and I think it is a serious issue. Do your friends know what you take, or even the types of drugs? If so, they may mention it to others It only takes one person on the outskirts to know, to mention it....so if these friends don't yet know I wouldn't tell them. I know the lock box thing is a challenge, especially living with others, but hopefully you'll have your own room and can get really creative. I know people who used to hide their money or good jewelry in tampon boxes or sanitary napkins. Something where it's a fake front of some sort. I don't know, but I bet someone else does. Maybe a police officer would have some ideas for you?

PaLady
Posted 12/24/2008 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
Scarred, I'm sorry. I don't have children & can only imagine what that must feel like. No one would ever think their child capable of harming not only others, but themselves as well. Thats why I though maybe I should put up this post. I have never always been such a straight arrow, but I always knew how dangerous medication, especially pain medication, can be. Now that I am on it, I might have a sip or two of my hubby's cocktail- once or twice a year. I'm just too scared. I don't want to end up a statistic. It may sound silly to some, everyone on here will understand, I often feel like I have earned the right to be trusted to take these medications. You have to be so responsible. And I am glad that you have a plan in place to protect ultimately the entire family. Talking about parent denial, there was a front page article down here in June about a mother who wanted to sue a pain clinic. (Not the pain clinic I go to, there are a ton of them here) Anyhow, the story is reported as the guy being my age-ish (early 30s) & having a sports injury as a teen. (16-ish) He somehow (where was the parenting?) was able to keep getting pain killers while underage. Fast forward to present day.... he had visited 3 different pain clinics in 3 days.... (180 oxycontins) & took them ALL in those 3 days. (I said *** too) The hospital was reported as saying when his name came on the scanner they were prepared to start revival (he was a regular, no joking, thats what it said) as he had been there --32-- times since Jan '08. All the drs kept saying do not prescribe, of course, and was even fired from several pain clinics. Of course the drs knew he was seeking/abusing. But this brings to question when someone has a legit MRI & talks about pain?? He must have been a good actor. The thing that gets me is the mother wanting to persue the pain clinic..... just an example of something terrible, but she was in denial he needed serious help. Sometimes I wonder if parents think their kids know better, that they wouldn't do anything so dumb.... as to do 180 pills in 3 days, or a "pharm party" or "trailmix" (is the other term I have heard used before as well). Its not only just more negative press for pain medication but I am honestly truely scared for these kids who are trying it... And Skeye- good for you for not letting peer pressure get the best of you! I'm glad you get how serious your meds are.... everytime you have a post you seem so well mature about the responsibility of your meds... thats fantastic! It helps prove that there are youths who are responsible & can handle taking these meds. I know when I go to the ER, I ALWAYS get a urine/blood test. (which is fine by me, I understand) but you keep vigilant about your meds..... You have mentioned before you were nervous about your meds- not the girls but other people... maybe you should talk to your dad about ways to keep them secure. He probably has some good ideas. Kudos to all of you for being so responsible. Thats why I love this forum..... everyone is so fantastic & pleasant.
Posted 12/24/2008 4:37 AM (GMT 0)
Hi PAlady,

They know that I take meds, but one knows what I am taking & I plan on keeping it that way. As you said, if one person knows, what is to stop them from telling someone else? That's why I refuse to give out my room access code to even a close friend as well. So many people here share access codes with their friends & then they are surprised when someone breaks into their room & steals something. I believe that you have to be proactive about keeping your things safe. And you are just asking for trouble if you give out sensitive information.

That is a really good idea about a fake box. I'd never thought of that before. I'll have to keep that in mind & think of ways to disguise my lockbox.

----------------------------

Hi Kttn,

Thanks for all the compliments! I always have been very responsible. My meds scare me & I know how powerful they are, so I am very very careful with them. It took me a long time to accept that I needed them & that nothing else was going to help. Sometimes I'm way to serious for my own good, but I take pride in being someone who is dependable. I'm definitely not a rule breaker & I try my best not to let people push me around.

Skeye

Post Edited (skeye) : 12/23/2008 9:51:14 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/24/2008 4:52 AM (GMT 0)
It just hit me over the head as I was reading about a thread being deleted that the topic of these parties does deal with illegal behavior, and that is against one of the rules of the forum. Perhaps we shouldn't pursue it any further. I'm not judging anybody, but a light bulb went off in my head when I remembered that rule.

PaLady
Posted 12/24/2008 7:41 AM (GMT 0)
Your right PA which is why I suddenly got quiet on this topic. It hit me just like it hit you LOL. Great minds think alike tee hee.
Posted 12/27/2008 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
I have had meds stolen.  To make it worse I thing it was my own brother who is very dear to me but has a problem with narcotic meds.  One month I came up about 30 pills short and I didnt notice it till the end of the month as I get a pretty good sized bottle.  There was no way to prove it was him but after that I locked them up.  There is also the threat in the town where I live of breakin and theft of drugs with so many tweekers living around here.  The tweekers dont take drugs for them since crystal meth is their drug of choice but they will sell anything they can get thier hands on.  I have some family members on my dads side that are always up to no good but would let them visit occasionlly and when they did I would always make sure no credit cards or slips were laying around,nothing with my info and then thought helloooooooo if I have to do this because I distrust these ppl so much then why am I letting them in my house?  after that it was no more.  But I see ppl all the time that are so careless with meds.  Just having them sitting on a shelf by the kitchen sink so they dont have to get up and get them out each time they want one and these are ppl with small children in the home.  Was even over at the mieghbors once and she was down on her hands and knees looking for something.  I asked her what she was doing and she said she had dropped and mohpine tab and then got up and said oh well I can find it later!!! and she had kids in the house!!!  I finally found that pill under her fridge but who knows what else is floating around.
Posted 12/30/2008 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
PA & Scarred, I did not mean for this thread to be mistaken for an addiction, only trying to help some people realize how cautious they need to be with their medications & aware of a growing threat that is becoming popular with the younger crowd. I hope no one has to deal with, but some people need to be aware of just incase.
Karen, I am sorry that this (your brother) has happened to you. I don't know what I would ever do in that situation. It's almost hard to believe that someone would leave a pill in the floor like that- especially with young children. Thats a recipe for disaster. Hopefully nothing bad will ever happen. But kudos to you for being aware & finding that medication! I have small dogs & I am always so scared when I drop a pill. I always find them, but I have made it a habit to open my pills over my bed now (just a wider area) incase I do drop one, my bed will catch it. I live in a large city & pills are the biggest threat here, there is always something on the news about a robbery of a pharmacy or someone caught selling pills or hosting a "pharm party". Most of the local pharmacies have guards outside & only certain ones carry the heavy narcotics. Sad, huh? I hope it dosen't come to that where you live. I used to live in a small town & I know how gossip goes: everybody knows everyone else's business...... I hope nothing comes of your home. I know I feel that robbers could take all my belongings, just leave my meds alone! Its so sad..... You know back to your neighbor, you probably helped save a life that day. I think what you did was very commendable. I'm glad you were there..... it could have been another bad story about pain medication & even worse a small child could have had a severe reaction to that medication... or worse. Great job Karen!!!
Posted 12/30/2008 3:43 AM (GMT 0)
Kttn,
I personally didn't have a problem with your initial post, but both Scarred and I realized after a bit that it is against one of the rules to discuss any illegal activity. I think it would be helpful for you to read through the rules and you'll know what we were referring to. I wasn't judging you, but after the administrator locked the othet thread we realized maybe we shouldn't go any futher with this topic. It really wasn't about addiction, per se.

PaLady
Posted 12/30/2008 12:03 PM (GMT 0)
Exactly what PA said. But I agree with you Kttn. I have dropped a pill or two on the floor and found them days later. Thank god the dogs didn't eat them! I'd really feel bad if they would have died because of my stupidity. I am now much more careful with my medication and have hubby watch me take my meds so that he ensures I take them and I don't drop anything. When I moved to this bigger town I told myself that I would not tell anyone about what medications I was taking and so far no one in the neighborhood nor anyone in this town knows and that's the way I choose to have it. The only ones who know are my husband and my doctor along with my husbands family but I know I can trust them.

Scarred
Posted 12/30/2008 2:17 PM (GMT 0)

BOOO Floridaaaaa!

Please do NOT praise Floridaaaa! I live here and anyone can get narcotic drugs here! There is an underground newspapper that anyone can get published in Ft. Lauderdale that is free and given out in just about any small store or blockbuster vidio. In the back 6 - 8 pages are adds for pain management drs. & clinics who are advertising to the youth that reads this trash papper. Narcotics despenced on site! You don't even have to go to a drug store, these jerks will prerscribe it then despence it! I don't know how they get away with it. It makes me sick! It's no wonder Floridaaa leads the nation in Methadone deaths! Since Oxicotin got so much press a few years ago, they changed and now prescribe methadone and the streets are loaded w/ it! My son overdosed on methadone out of my stupidity, thinking that hiding it in my house was good enough. He almost died on HS graduation night celibrating w/ Dad's pills and stopped breathing at a party! If the EMT's had been there a minute later, I don't know. Now I have a $600.00 safe bolted to my cement slab w/ 1/2" x 8" steel bolts and thats were my meds stay except for what is on my person for the day! Please be safe w/ your meds. Don't trust anyone, even the young ones.

Your Friend,

Pete  

Posted 12/30/2008 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, This is such a hard topic for us, as abuse is everywhere, I've talked
with my own daughter about this topic and will talk to her again about this as she'll
be in college next year, I guess the hardest thing she'll have to learn is to
steer clear of the peer pressure. It sure is hard raising a child to do the right things
in society today, especially when they go off to college you'll never know what they
will do, but can only hope they'll do the right thing.....
Thank You for starting this topic as shocking as hard as it was to read, it's truly a
parents worst nightmare and that such percautions have to be taken, I'll be getting a
lock box soon.......
Posted 12/30/2008 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
Char; You have the best influence here and have to keep her informed with the right information about this. Tell her the facts about abusing medications and let her know that there are things better then "Pharm Parties" to go to in college that will make her blossom into a sparkling student and woman over her years in her post graduate studies. If she holds true to your words then you have nothing to fear as the saying goes "Just say NO!"

Good Luck :-)

Scarred
Posted 12/31/2008 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
Pete, I live in Tampa & I'm stunned by what you said. Granted I have only been to the same pain clinic since I got here, but they are so tight on regulations by the DEA... for example I have to bring in my meds if I am halfway through the month (to prove I'm not out of pills) if I need to up my doseage or we have random drug screens once or twice a year. Of course, there is not an issue for me, But I was in the room where they were checking someone else's pee & it had all kinds of crap in it, they let him go right then & there.
Char, I'm glad you are able to use this topic for the benefit of good, I honestly did not mean for anyone to think I meant it in the wrong way, I did it for people like you with children who are at that age- these kids anymore are so out of control. Its like they want the ultimate thrill and will go to any lengths to get that achieved high. There is also the term "trail mix" that is used the same words as "pharm party".... just some fyi.
Scarred, I think what you said is almost poetic- it was beautiful. If more parents could just talk to their kids like that, there wouldn't be a need for posts like this. Kudos to Char & Scarred.
Posted 12/31/2008 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
This isn't new.  It was popular in the 60s, but maybe making a comeback.  I do hide my pain pills, mainly because I don't trust anyone when it comes to narcotic pain meds.

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